Francesca Lia Block’s workshops generate powerful inspiration and creativity in a safe, supportive environment.
Master Class
Writing the Novel
Offered in-person or online
Saturday afternoons 1-4 Sept. 4th, 18th, Oct. 2nd, 16th, 30th, Nov. 13th, Dec. 11th, 18th
Culver City, California
Cost: $425.
Due by Sept 1st, 2010
Syllabus
Course Objective
To learn the basics of writing a novel, including plot, character, setting and theme development, or to develop your knowledge of writing the novel, through discussion, exercises, reading, analysis and work-shopping of manuscripts. To complete the first chapter of your novel or up to fifty pages* and to create a complete outline for the finished novel in a supportive but challenging and inspiring environment.
*more if approved by instructor
Course Requirements
• Participate in a constructive manner in manuscript critique and class discussion in person or online
• Complete one chapter or 20 pages and an outline of a novel
Suggested Reading List
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
The Rule of the Bone by Russell Banks
Tribes of Palos Verdes by Joy Nicholson
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
In the Wood by Tana French
Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Course Outline
Week One
• Introduction
Manuscript Critique
• Literary Element of the Week: Writing What You Love and Writing from the
• Writing Exercise #1: Let Obsession Be Your Guide
Week 2
• Manuscript Critiques
• Literary Element of the Week: Plot, Part I
• Writing Exercise #2: Creating Arc—The Power of Transformation
Week 3
• Manuscript Critiques
• Literary Element of the Week: Plot Part II
• Writing Exercise #3: Creating Conflict—What Makes Us Care
Week 4
• Manuscript Critique
• Literary Element of the Week: Character
• Writing Exercise #4: Dimensional Characters: From the Inside Out—Elements of Our Psyche
Week 5
• Manuscript Critiques
• Literary Element of the Week: Setting
• Writing Exercise #5: Setting as Character—Bringing Your Landscape to Life
Week 6
• Manuscript Critiques
• Literary Element of the Week: Scene by Scene by Scene
• Writing Exercise #6: Show vs. Tell/Scene vs. Summary
Week 7
• Manuscript Critiques
• Literary Element of the Week: Sensory Language
• Writing Exercise #7: See, Hear, Taste, Touch, Smell
Week 8
• Manuscript Critiques
• Literary Element of the Week: Theme
• Writing Exercise #8: Finding What You Want to Say About/To the World
Work-Shopping Guidelines:
Sharing our manuscripts can be a very emotional, exposing experience. Please, above all, be kind and respectful of one another. Try to focus on the technical aspects of the writing and not judge or critique the writer as a person.
Be specific and constructive in your criticism. In other words, don’t just say, “That was great,” or “I didn’t like that” but express exactly why something worked or didn’t work for you. Always try to start with positive, honest feedback. If something does not work for you, use the principles we have learned in class and your own knowledge of literature to express specifically why it might not work. You may offer suggestions as to how to solve the problem but it is not necessary to do so. Try to avoid being overly didactic if you do suggest specific changes. A calm, neutral and observant tone is best.
Stay focused on the work at hand and do not divert onto unrelated topics. It goes without saying that you should avoid personal attack or insults of any kind.
Online Guidelines:
You will email your pages to the instructor and list of other online students one week prior to each live class meeting, depending on when your work is scheduled to be work-shopped. You will make notes on each other's manuscripts and receive them via email on your chosen class date. You will also receive the class notes and exercises, complete the exercises and send them to the instructor and other students on the in-class date. By the following week you will make brief notes on the completed exercises and return them to the writer.
